The Grenada gazette., 1887-06-18
DICK AND TOM.
A Little Story of the Last Of Numerous
Family.

A Little story of the Last Of Numerous
Family.
They We're the last Of seven house
flies that got into the sitting-room one
day when the door-screen happened to
stand open. The baby's mamma
thought them only five. but grandmama
was sure there were seven, and ! am
inclined to agree with her; for in a
matter of flies, you have always noticed
there are likely to be good many
rather than few. And If any one
should say there ere one hundred and
fifty trying to get into the kitchen
while the dinner is cooking, you may
be pretty sure there are one hundred
and sixty-one at least. So the baby's
grandmma was undoubtedly right,
and Tom and Dick were not the last of
five flies but Of seven; and yet have a
doubt as to whether there may not
have been ten Of them at first or may.
be twelve. At any rate they had all
disappeared but these two, and it was
now the last Of December. The morn
ing was cold and Tom and Dick sat by
the CRATE, on the rack that held the
baby's clothes. They were very fond
of the baby in their way, and liked
nothing better than travelling over her
fat cheeks or tickling the end of
her little pug nose. She did not
like them at all, but they did
not stop to worry about that. When
she struck out for them, her fat fist was
a good deal more likely to 90 into one
of her own blue eyes than to hit either
of her troublesome admirers, and they
usually flew away without brush.
This morning she was sound asleep.
Her milk bottle lay in the foot Of the
crib. and Dick thought he would like
get at least smell of it; so he few
around and around hunting for place
to let him In. But the baby's mother
had spread big net over baby, crib,
bottle and all, and Dick could not find
place that would much more than let
his nose through. So he finally gave
up the matter. and went to look out of
the window. 1t was showing fast, and
the brown leaves that were left on the
trees seemed to be scared. and it was
so cold. Such weather made Dick feel
dismal, and he flow back to the rack
before the fire to see Tom; and then it
struck him all of n sudden that Tom
looked queer. His head seemed loose
and about to fall of; his wings looked
faded and dropping, and his eyes were
dull.
'Why. Tom. old fellow. what's the
ma;ter?' said Dick. But Tom did not
answer.
II say, Tom!' called Dick again.
The baby could not have heard him
II she had been broad awake, nor the
baby's mother II she had been there;
but Dick knew what he said. and Tom
knew this time; for pretty soon he an.
swered slowly:
Il am very sleepy" and his voice
was faint, and sounded to Dick rs II 1t
were long way off--as IL 1t had got
away from Tom and gone up the chim-
ney or outside the door. or into the
bottom Of the baby's bottlc--he could
not keep the baby's bottle out Of his
bead.
''Wcll, should think so. said Dick,
briskly, rs he shook out his wings.
''Why don't you hold up your head,
and stir around bit. and be a re-
spectacle Aye"
1T is very late and cold." said Tom,
slowly, us before, and again his voice
sounded rs II it were away of by It.
self somewhere. Dick laughed, but
you couldn't have heard him II he had
been tickling your nose at that very
minute.
Gold enough, that's q fact. But
latep Why. its early In the morning. I"
Il know q good place to 20 to sleep
In" said Tom. nodding his head stiil
lower.
well. you're--you're Just prepos-
terous," said Dick. .sYou needn't
bother yourself about going to sleep.
old fellow. You're fast ssleep now.
You'd better 60 and hunt up vour
voice and sec Il You can't mako come
use Of It Bye, bye" and DIck snrs -